Vitamin “K” refers to the group of fat-soluble vitamins responsible for blood clotting, bone metabolism, and regulation of blood calcium levels. Vitamin K is a key factor in bone health and wound healing. Deficiency of vitamin K is rare, but in severe cases, clotting time may increase, leading to hemorrhage and excessive bleeding. The body is unable to produce prothrombin without vitamin K, which is a coagulation factor needed for blood clotting and bone metabolism.
Several types of vitamin K are used worldwide as medicinal products. Vitamin K1 (phytonadione) and vitamin K2 (menaquinone) are accessible in North America. Vitamin K1 is usually the preferred type of vitamin K because it is less toxic, functions quicker, stronger, and works better under certain circumstances.
The effect of “blood thinner” medications is reverted by vitamin K if too much is administered. It is also used in newborns with insufficient Vitamin K to help protect against clotting issues.
Effectiveness of vitamin K
- Administration of vitamin K1 by mouth or given as a shot into the muscle helps to prevent problems of bleeding in newborns.
- Treatment and prevention of bleeding problems in people with low levels of blood-clotting protein prothrombin.
- Taking vitamin K by mouth or as an injection into the vein may assist avoid bleeding in individuals with Vitamin K dependent clotting factors deficiency.
- The reversal of the consequences of too much warfarin used to prevent blood clotting.
- Taking a specific form of vitamin K2 appears to improve bone strength and reduce the risk of fracture in most elderly women with weak bones.
- Higher nutritional intake of vitamin K2 has been associated with reduced risk of heart disease, and death from heart disease in elderly males and females.
- There is early proof that vitamin K2 may decrease cholesterol concentrations in individuals with high cholesterol levels.
- Early study indicates that higher dietary intake of vitamin K2, but not vitamin K1, is associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer.
- Taking vitamin K2 along with arthritis medicine reduces the signs of joint swelling better than taking arthritis medicine alone.
Intake of vitamin K is important for the body only when it is taken in an appropriate quantity. You should understand that vitamin K or vitamin K products can influence the functioning of some of these drugs. You need to maintain vitamin K concentrations constant in your blood daily.
Sources of vitamin K
The best way to meet the daily demand for vitamin K is by eating food sources. Vitamin K can be found in the following ingredients.
- Green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, turnip greens, collards, Swiss chard, mustard greens, parsley, rosemary and green leaf lettuce.
- Fish, liver, meat, eggs, and cereals
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